HAMILTON, Bermuda (AP) – Bertha weakened Sunday into a tropical storm as it hovered near Bermuda, but forecasters say it might still deal a glancing blow to the Atlantic island.

Over the weekend, most tourists chose to hang out in pools and walk along the beach instead of battle the storm-whipped surf and rip currents along Bermuda’s southern coast. Signs were posted announcing that beaches are closed.

“You can go out and swim if you like, but lifeguards will not come out and get you,” said Darnell Joell, a bartender at Coco Reef resort.

Bertha’s outer bands were expected to brush the island in the coming days.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm’s maximum sustained winds decreased to near 65 miles per hour. Bertha was centered about about 180 miles southeast of Bermuda.

Bertha became the Atlantic season’s first hurricane on July 7 and has vacillated between a Category 1 and 2 storm.